


An Unexpected Meeting (Peripherals AU) [Drabble]

by Hallowraith



Series: Peripherals (CDF AU) [DRABBLES] [1]
Category: Cirque du Freak | The Saga of Darren Shan - Darren Shan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, First Meetings, Original Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-16
Updated: 2017-11-16
Packaged: 2019-02-03 03:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 773
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12739998
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hallowraith/pseuds/Hallowraith
Summary: Human medium Florence Warren seeks a getaway from the fray during the Festival of the Undead at Vampire Mountain, and meets an unexpected friend.((This drabble exists for world-building purposes for a partially-collaborative CDF AU.))





	An Unexpected Meeting (Peripherals AU) [Drabble]

**Author's Note:**

> (( Eliza belongs to user castles_inthe_sky))

…

[  _Tk tk tk tk tk …_ ]

Florence didn’t have much patience today.

[  _Tk-tk-tk… tk tk tk…_ ]

Not much at all.

“Come on…”

Her hands twisted the knobs on a peculiar little device, intently staring at a small ceramic cat positioned on a short rock shelf in front of her. She settled down further against the cave floor, aiming the thin antennae of the machine at the ornament more directly.

The speakers positioned on the top of the device lightly vibrated with a dull clicking sound, randomly alternating between separate sounds to long, strung-together beats… hardly audible over the sound of distant dripping water further down in the cavern, but there nonetheless.

Whatever the significance of the clicking was, it clearly wasn’t making the human very happy.

“Do what you did yesterday. Come on, Gata.”

[  _Tk tk tk tk-tk…_ ]

The ruckus of the Festival had already put her in a bad mood. So many drunken, barbaric forms running amok in the main halls…She was lucky to have escaped without being dragged into a competition. Hell, she had even seen her father joining the fray! She needed something to clear her head, and researching was usually a good getaway, but…

“Gata” not responding was now just irritating her more.

This Endogeist had been her primary source of study for the past few years, ever since she “borrowed” it from an old woman back in her hometown who coined its name (she wasn’t that fond of stealing from the elderly, but the prospect of a haunted ceramic cat was far too intriguing to simply ignore). There had been others of course, “Exos" and “Cephals" that she had either voluntarily or involuntarily observed… but Gata was stationary. That was the good thing about Endogeists.

Trapped inside itself, as it were. Possessed objects. How convenient.

Florence fiddled with the knobs a bit more.

“Why are you always like this…? If you do something tonight when I’m not ready I swear I’ll-“

[  _tk tk tK-TK-THKTHK-THK_  ]

The human scrambled a bit with a happy exclamation as the clicking suddenly became louder, revealing a small leather-bound booklet from her robes, one that was far too narrow for any sort of proper writing…instead containing strips of thick paper, swiftly scribbled upon with little lines as Florence clutched a worn down pencil between her fingers.   
  
The device continued to rattle, sharp sounds of indistinguishable identity emitting in cryptic bursts…all while the ceramic cat continued staring forward passively. Whatever was happening, it was only audible for now, and only Florence seemed to be able to record it.

And so, she was oblivious to the approaching presence of another, too busy scratching down neat little rows of lines to notice… at least until the din quieted down, and after she shut her book with a sigh.   
  
“Thanks, I’ll take a look at this late- “  
  
[  _Shhf-_  ]  
  
The sound of a shoe scuffling on the floor startled her, and Florence spun around with a surprised peep, clutching the device to her chest. What greeted her was the equally-surprised expression of another girl… a half-vampire, to be exact, with short ginger hair… whom the medium immediately recognized as the young master whom arrived not long ago with the others in the Mountain. How could she forget such a unique face?   
  
Though seeing her _here_  of all places was out of the blue for sure.   
  
“Oh— Sorry…” she started, gathering up her things before stuffing the ceramic cat into a small bag, the smell of salt permeating the air for a second, “I didn’t know anyone else would be down here— I uh… Eliza, right?”

“Oh? Oh, yes! That’s me.” came the response, the girl stepping curiously closer, gaze lingering on Florence’s bag and book for a second before a shy smile was given, “…I didn’t mean to interrupt, uh… Its just— way too much out there, you know?”  
  
“Yeah, I know. That’s why I’m here too.”  
  
“Really? Oh… well, thats good. I hope you don’t mind…”  
  
“Of course not, I was just finishing up.”  
  
“…You’re not leaving yet are you?”  
  
Florence laughed, “Oh no, not yet! Was going to explore a little, actually… “ she paused, raising a finger in thought and clicking her tongue “Tsk, hm…That uh, Kurda guy I always see you around has an obsession with that, doesn’t he? Has he shown you any maps?”

Eliza wrung her hands, “Well, yeah, but- I don’t think I can remembe-“  
  
“Thats fine! I didn’t plan on going far, just… curious, really. Sorry for asking.”  
  
…  
  
A semi-awkward pause followed, the duo merely standing towards one another for a long moment.  
  
“…Can I come with?”   
  
“Well, sure!”


End file.
